Death Comes for the Archbishop: Book Two

by Willa Cather
Following the Mexican-American War, Bishop Jean Latour and Father Joseph Vaillant work to build a new Roman Catholic dicoese in New Mexico.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Prologue–Book One, Book Two, Book Three, Book Four, Book Five, Book Six, Book Seven, Book Eight, Book Nine

Here is a link to My Antonia by Willa Cather.
32 words 95 learners

Learn words with Flashcards and other activities

Definition First
Print Flashcards

Other learning activities

Answer a few questions about each word. Use this to prep for your next quiz! Compete with other teams in real time to see who answers the most questions correctly! Test your spelling acumen. Read the definition, listen to the word and try spelling it!

Teaching tools

Create and assign quizzes to your students to test their vocabulary. Assign learning activities including Practice, Vocabulary Jams and Spelling Bees to your students, and monitor their progress in real-time.

Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. repose
    freedom from activity
    They sat on the earth floor, wrapped in their best blankets, repose in every line of their strong, stubborn backs.
  2. harangue
    address forcefully
    He harangued them in such Spanish as he could command, and they listened with respect.
  3. vestment
    a gown worn by the clergy
    Have someone bring in my saddle-bags, and I will put on my vestments.
  4. swarthy
    naturally having skin of a dark color
    The swarthy host was dazed by this dispatch.
  5. altar
    a raised structure on which sacrifices to a god are made
    Lujon and his two daughters began constructing an altar at one end of the sala.
  6. kneel
    rest one's weight on one's knees
    He knelt down before the improvised altar and began his private devotions.
  7. improvise
    manage in a makeshift way; do with whatever is at hand
    He knelt down before the improvised altar and began his private devotions.
  8. placidly
    in a quiet and tranquil manner
    Since this did not throw his rider, he seemed satisfied, trotted back, and stood placidly beside Angelica.
  9. gait
    an animal's manner of moving
    What an easy gait this mule has, and what a narrow back!
  10. sacred
    made, declared, or believed to be holy
    I can carry very little with me except my vestments and the sacred vessels.
  11. vessel
    an object used as a container, especially for liquids
    I can carry very little with me except my vestments and the sacred vessels.
  12. aggrieve
    cause to feel distress
    Manuel looked troubled and somewhat aggrieved.
  13. vehemence
    intensity or forcefulness of expression
    Father Joseph turned to him with vehemence.
  14. heathen
    not acknowledging the God of Christianity, Judaism and Islam
    "If I were a rich ranchero, like you, Manuel, I would do a splendid thing; I would furnish the two mounts that are to carry the word of God about this heathen country,
  15. utterly
    completely and without qualification
    A new settlement in the Conejos valley had lately been raided by Indians; many of the inhabitants were killed, and the survivors, who were originally from Mora, had managed to get back there, utterly destitute.
  16. destitute
    poor enough to need help from others
    A new settlement in the Conejos valley had lately been raided by Indians; many of the inhabitants were killed, and the survivors, who were originally from Mora, hadmanaged to get back there, utterly destitute.
  17. unprepossessing
    creating an unfavorable or neutral first impression
    As they rode up to the door, a man came out, bareheaded, and they saw to their surprise that he was not a Mexican, but an American, of a very unprepossessing type.
  18. reluctance
    a certain degree of unwillingness
    Father Latour felt a growing reluctance to remain even for a few hours under the roof of this ugly, evil-looking fellow.
  19. rudimentary
    not fully developed in mature animals
    With its small, rudimentary ears, this head had a positively malignant look.
  20. malignant
    dangerous to health
    With its small, rudimentary ears, this head had a positively malignant look.
  21. partition
    a vertical structure that divides or separates
    Their host made an angry, snarling sound in the direction of the partition, and a woman came out of the next room.
  22. prophetic
    foretelling events as if by supernatural intervention
    Instantly that stupid face became intense, prophetic, full of awful meaning.
  23. fervent
    characterized by intense emotion
    Father Vaillant was relying upon the protection of St. Joseph, whose office he had fervently said that morning.
  24. pantomime
    a performance using gestures and movements without words
    He kept seeing her in the darkness as he rode on, her face in the fire-light, and her terrible pantomime.
  25. magistrate
    a lay judge or civil authority who administers the law
    Is there a magistrate here?"
  26. notary
    someone legally empowered to witness signatures and certify documents
    There was no magistrate, but there was a retired fur trapper who acted as notary and could take evidence.
  27. interval
    a definite length of time marked off by two instants
    He was sent for, and in the interval Father Latour instructed the refugee women.
  28. degenerate
    a person whose behavior deviates from what is acceptable
    All white men knew him for a dog and a degenerate.
  29. illiterate
    not able to read or write
    That he was illiterate was an accident; he had got ahead of books, gone where the printing-press could not follow him.
  30. preserve
    keep or maintain in unaltered condition
    Out of the hardships of his boyhood--from fourteen to twenty picking up a bare living as cook or mule-driver for wagon trains, often in the service of brutal and desperate characters--he had preserved a clean sense of honour and a compassionate heart.
  31. provincial
    associated with an administrative district of a nation
    Early in April the Bishop left Santa Fé on horseback and rode to St. Louis, on his way to attend the Provincial Council.
  32. blight
    a state or condition being devastated or run-down
    After the blight of her horrible youth was over, she seemed to bloom again in the household of God.
Created on Mon Mar 25 12:03:52 EDT 2013 (updated Mon Jul 16 17:31:08 EDT 2018)

Sign up now (it’s free!)

Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.